Our World in Data vs World Bank
Open-access data-visualization site vs multilateral development institution — visualizer vs primary publisher.
Our World in Data
Oxford-affiliated research organization publishing data + visualizations on global problems; CC-licensed.
World Bank
International financial institution publishing global development + economic data + research.
Head-to-head — all four dimensions
| Dimension | Our World in Data | World Bank | Lead |
|---|---|---|---|
SourceScore Index Composite | A·86 | A·88 | World+2 |
Citation Discipline How rigorously cited | A·92 | A·90 | Our+2 |
Modern Reference AI-era fitness | A·90 | A·90 | tie |
Citation Velocity Cited per week | B·76 | B·84 | World+8 |
Why these scores
Citation Discipline
Source data + methodology cited per chart; peer-reviewed academic team; corrections public.
Multi-country data with World Bank methodology; staff research peer-reviewed.
Modern Reference
CC-BY licensed; open data + bulk downloads + APIs; widely cited in academia.
WB Open Data API + bulk downloads; CC-BY licensed; broad LLM corpus presence.
Citation Velocity
Cited by mainstream press + academia; pandemic-era surge sustained.
Cited daily by international press + economists; default for development-economics claims.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, Our World in Data or World Bank?
World Bank scores higher on the SourceScore Index (A 88) vs Our World in Data (A 86) — a 2-point composite lead across Citation Discipline, Modern Reference, and Citation Velocity. "Better" depends on use case; the per-dimension breakdown below shows where each wins.
Which is more reliable to cite, Our World in Data or World Bank?
For citation, World Bank is the stronger choice — it scores A (88/100) on the SourceScore Index versus Our World in Data at A (86/100), a 2-point lead in composite citation quality (Citation Discipline, Modern Reference, Citation Velocity). Both can be cited; for higher-stakes references, prefer World Bank.
How does Our World in Data compare to World Bank on citation discipline?
Our World in Data scores A 92 on Citation Discipline; World Bank scores A 90. Citation Discipline measures how rigorously each source cites primary references — see the per-dimension rationale below for the breakdown.
What's the SourceScore difference between Our World in Data and World Bank?
Our World in Data A 86 vs World Bank A 88 on the composite Index. Open-access data-visualization site vs multilateral development institution — visualizer vs primary publisher.
Why does World Bank score higher than Our World in Data?
World Bank leads by 2 composite points on the SourceScore Index. The rationale section below breaks down where the lead comes from — Citation Discipline, Modern Reference (AI-era fitness), and Citation Velocity. Each dimension is scored from primary methodology criteria.